The South Dakota Humanities Council pulled out the stops to welcome the official authors of the 2017 South Dakota Festival of Books tonight at the Historic Homestake Opera House at 313 W. Main Street, Lead, SD.
​Special thanks to Dr. David Wolff and to Cyndie Harlan and staff of the Phoebe Apperson Hearst/Lead Public Library, neighbor to the Opera House. More than 90 people attended the event expertly catered by Dave Brueckner and staff from Cheyenne Crossing of Lead.

ABOVE: Major donors to the 2017 Wall #1 & 2 present at the Reveal Concert Event, from L to R: Diane & Dan DesLauries, Jennifer Young and mother Mary Beth (Dunn) Mallow representing the $10,000 Jim & Betty Dunn donation, Bob Morcom, Leona Ruffatto and son Rob Ruffatto, Maxine Morcom, Fred and Sherri Thurston, Connie Hyde, Betsy Ross Brown and her four family members representing the $10,000 Harold Edward Ross donation, and Karen and Tim Raben. Many other donors gave generously to this project, and the work continues. If you would like to contribute to this project, please contact Sarah Carlson at 605-584-2067 or opera@rushmore.com.

HUGE thanks to these very talented and generous local artists Jerry Aberle, Dennes Barrett, Chad Aberle of Avid Painting, Kaylee Linn, Lynn Namminga, Ericka Merchant, Tim Peterson of Flat Earth Art Co., Mike Ryan, and (not pictured) mascot Darby Aberle.